Greek power / speed metal band Valiant Sentinel was a new band to me, and though they have been around since 2018, they just recently released their second album, “Neverealm.” The themes are mythical and medieval, transporting you to a fantasy world where heroes undertake marvelous quests and put everything on the line in their battles against evil. The band is the brainchild of magnificent guitarist and composer Dimitris Skodras, who delivers powerful riffs, delicate melodies, and fret melting solos. Lead pipes are handled by Subfire vocalist Veandok, who has a brilliant range and lovely tambor that can attack both softly and with a thrash fury, but always under control. The tambor of his voice fits the music so well and will make you excited to go to battle with him! Panos Manikas handles the bass well, delivering a hefty low end that brings an extra heavy dose to the speed. Of particular note is that drumming duties are handled by Frederik Ehmke, who you may recognize as the man behind the kit for speed/power metal icons Blind Guardian. Musically, this album melds epic power metal with frenetic speed metal, but also brings in folk and prog influences to add depth and character while also transporting you to the world of the underlying story. The melody lines are thoughtful and catchy, the guitar work is incredible and impressive, and the drumming is in your face and powerful. Orchestration is leveraged without being overbearing, strengthening the compositions. This is a great album, delivering plenty of speed and melody to go along with fantastical adventure!

Opener “War in Heaven” makes it clear this is power metal to be reckoned with from the outset, with its powerful drumming and guitar lead intro leading you to hefty power riffing and fabulous vocals from Veandok. The pace is relentless, reminding of the speed metal energy Blind Guardian brings, effortlessly moving from passage to passage with fabulous guitar melodies and intense drums. The chorus is super catchy and highlights Veandok’s range, with a great guitar melody underneath. It is the perfect opening track.

The title track continues the frenetic speed metal pace and features guest vocals from Laura Guldemond of Burning Witches, adding an extra thrashy flavoring to complement Veandok. The guitars are an unstoppable force, compounding crushing riffs that will challenge your headbanging skills, while incorporating syncopated patterns that add texture to the fury. The guitar solo is not over the top but adds killer harmonies and accents to match the feel of the blazing musical storm. The drumming is particularly impressive, nonstop in its attack while adding technical fills and crushing blows. This is just shy of 5 minutes of unadulterated power speed energy, and you will be gasping for air by the end.

“Mirkwood Forest” finally gives a reprieve from the speed, greeting you with a somber acoustic guitar soliloquy before diving headlong into a mid-paced power groove. The vocals, impassioned and direct, alternate between big harmonies, thrashy aggression, and emotive cries. I love the late musical bridge featuring interplay between the distorted guitars and the soft acoustic sound, serving as a nice transition into the guitar solo featuring great melody and harmony.

“The Underdark” is the second longest song to the tune of seven and a half minutes, exploring progressive textures within the speed, power, and folksy layers. It starts with a simple guitar melody with bard-like lead and folksy choral vocals, adding in crunch and slowly building until it reaches a power gallop with soaring vocals. The protagonist is “lost beyond return” as he proclaims in the chorus, and the musical journey does a great job mirroring his quest and the emotions he feels. It shifts from chunky mid-paced, to all out speed, to gorgeous acoustic sections. After a brief narration a little over halfway, you get an incredible emotive folksy section that shifts dynamics on a dime and hits hard, throwing you into an incredible guitar solo before a fantastic sprint to the end.

“To Mend the Ring” is a beautiful short calming acoustic piece that hearkens back to similar sections in “The Underdark,” pushing the protagonist’s story forward in heroic fashion, setting up “Elden Lord,” a speed burner with a folksy sensibility that is infectious. The drumming is a highlight again, as is the harmonized power riffing and various guitar solos. The song composition is really well done, dueling slower rhythms against the faster cadence, and the melodies throughout are memorable.

“Come What May” feels like a reprisal of earlier acoustic folk melodies, but it utilizes a different chord progression. However, it serves as a nice bridge back to the previous songs as it continues to push the story along. It again has a bard-like quality and does a great job giving the listener a break while adding some depth to the overall album progression. Much like the Blind Guardian crowd favorite, with Hansi directing from stage, I could see this song demanding full crowd participation in a live setting.

Now that our hero has reflected on what is ahead of him, he is prepared to face his “Arch Nemesis.” It continues the folksy feel from the previous song, trading the somber introspection for energetic valor, layering in a metallic exterior. This song is the ultimate hero going to battle song, with a very narrative forward lyrical approach. The musical composition is catered to this storytelling mode, allowing the story to unfold and progress organically in tandem with the music, a brilliant mechanic that I would love to see done more, particularly in the power metal setting. It is hard not to be rooting for our hero with a chorus containing the line “I swear to God your life will end by my blade!”, and later as he is battling, confidently taunting: “Yes you’ll burn….now you’ll burn…oh you’ll burn!” This gives way to a nice guitar solo that stops quite suddenly, and our hero confidently proclaims “I now stand a champion!” This is how story driven adventure songs should be done!

Album closer “The Battle of Hornburg” is also the longest at just shy of 9 minutes, an epic song that weaves together the power and speed elements with progressive stitching while painting a grand scene to end our hero’s journey. It opens in majestic fashion with powerful drumming and a triumphant guitar solo, maintaining a driving cadence with Veondok really delivering emphatically and showing off his range throughout. You get proggy rhythmic transitions, speed metal racing, nifty leadwork including some killer harmonies, and a grand narration in the second half that adds to the cinematic quality. What a monumental end to a fantastic album!

The more I listen to this album, the more I love it. It brings together so much of what I love about epic power metal and concept albums, and it does so in an extremely cohesive and incredible way. Go check this album out and be prepared to go on an adventure of a lifetime!